The Princess and the Growing Pea

Once upon a time, a girl called the Princess loved dinosaurs. She carried a small green toy dinosaur named Dina everywhere she went. One rainy evening, the Princess came to visit Queen Marion, a kind old friend of her family. The Queen welcomed her with a warm blanket and a cup of cocoa. “You may sleep in the special guest room,” said the Queen. “I hope you will be cozy.” “Thank you,” said the Princess. “Dina and I are ready for a rest.”

The special guest room had a very tall bed. On the bed was a stack of seven mattresses—thick, soft pads for sleeping. Under the bottom mattress, the Queen had hidden one tiny pea. A pea is a small round green vegetable. The Queen did not hide it to be mean. She had a gentle question in her heart: Would her guest notice small things and care about them? The Queen smiled and tiptoed away.